I require each answer to have a clearly stated source. If all
questions can not be answered I can accept that but please try. Time
is of the essence here. If possible for all questions, please not only
direct them to general online gambling but also Poker Rooms in
particular. If any clarification is required please feel free to ask
as I intend to check this question regularly.
? I require the primary advertising methods employed by the online
gaming industry. They must also be accompanied by an example of
companies generally employed to provide the advertising services and
if possible the costs associated.
? I require as detailed as possible market segmentation for online
Gambling, i.e.: Who plays, when they play, level of skill, age,
average length of time that a user is subscribed to one site, the
average amount of money wagered, ext? Preferably for online poker
specifically.
? Also I need to know what creates loyal players and what are the
primary concerns of online gamblers are; preferably for online poker
specifically.
? Any other information that is seen to be relevant will be highly appreciated.
I don?t expect page long answers, the more in depth the better but as
long as the questions are answered and a source is provided that will
be fine.
Thank you in advance for your time.
thanks again in advance...
Competition for players is heating up!
"PartyGaming move points to peak in online gambling," by Nils Pratley. The Guardian. October 11, 2005 http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1589133,00.html
"Investor confidence in internet poker hit a new low yesterday as PartyGaming, the market leader, effectively forced a divorce on the so-called "skin" companies whose online marketing skills have helped to fuel the game's astonishing growth. PartyGaming's decision to sever long-standing partnerships with these "white-label" operators will be seen as the start of intense competition among poker sites. Until now, most sites have concentrated on recruiting newcomers to online gambling. Yesterday's move may herald competition for established players.....
==
"Gambling most popular vice for young men." UK News. October 7, 2005.
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=TR618348L&news_headline=gambling_most_popular_vice_for_young_men
"Nine-in-10 have a flutter in some form or another, 38% at least once a week and a startling 63% once a month, according to Nuts magazine. The survey of 1,100 men and women aged between 18 and 35 found we are becoming a nation of gamblers. Scottish men are the biggest punters with 48% placing a bet at least once a week and spending on average up to 40 a month."
"The biggest motivator for men to gamble is to make a game and event more interesting to watch (30%). But almost as many said they gambled because they are convinced they will make a big win one day (28%). Some claim that the increase in online sites has made it easier for guys to gamble (11%) and others say celebrities have made it more fashionable (two per cent)."
"The amount of money bet has risen sharply in recent years largely because of the rise in online gambling. Just ten years ago the UK was spending 1.4m on online betting, a stark contrast to the 6.4m that is being spent now. Four million are gambling each month online, and since 2003 the amount of money bet on line has risen by 566%!"
I will see what I can find for you.
umiat
I have compiled what information I could readily find outside of market research reports to help answer your questions pertaining to online poker and gambling. The scarcity of information on this subject is the primary reason that expensive market research reports exist! In lieu of those, I have tried my best to come up with some sources which can provide a basis of knowledge to help you formulate an answer to your various questions. While I could not find definitive answers for all of them, I believe I have compiled enough references and excerpts to give you a good overview.
============
ADVERTISING
============
From what I have found, it appears that the gaming sites themselves are responsible for their own, innovative methods of advertising!
=
"In the 1980s, Alex Czajkowski penned a weekly computer column for his college newspaper at Carnegie Mellon University dubbed "Beating the System." Today, that title neatly describes his job. As a marketing executive for an offshore Internet gambling company, he and his business rivals are drawing from an ever-expanding bag of tricks to promote online betting in the U.S. -- where the casinos and the advertising of them are considered illegal by the government.
"Shut out by most mainstream media outlets, Mr. Czajkowski's company, Sportingbet PLC, which runs Sportsbook.com, has sponsored a top American bull rider, a professional women's volleyball duo and an Arena Football League team. It has also placed full-page ads in two airline frequent-flier magazines, and its racy billboard-style ads featuring Playboy model Brooke Burke are displayed on the sides of trucks parked at National Football League games."
"Why can't I advertise on ESPN? Sports Illustrated? Those are the viewers that care about my product," said Mr. Czajkowski, marketing director for the Americas region for London-based Sportingbet, which is publicly traded in the United Kingdom and lets people bet on sporting events and play casino games."
With online gambling booming in popularity and poker, in particular, enjoying a newfound fan base, the companies behind Internet casinos have grown increasingly creative in their efforts to promote their products. Most print and broadcast outlets refuse to accept ads explicitly for Internet gambling, citing the government's assertion that it is illegal for U.S. residents to gamble on offshore sites."
"PartyGaming PLC, a large online gaming company based in Gibraltar, has been credited by its rivals for making shrewd end runs around the advertising restrictions in the U.S. The company runs ads on cable news channel CNBC for a Web site that teaches people how to play poker, but does not allow actual gambling. The advertised site, PartyPoker.net, makes no mention of the company's popular gambling site, PartyPoker.com, though it would be easy for someone to make a typing error and land on the betting site. PokerStars, based in Costa Rica, employs a similar strategy and has run ads on NBC and the cable game-show network GSN."
"Another company, Golden Palace Ltd., based on the Caribbean island of Antigua, has used an assortment of marketing stunts to attract bettors. It recently spent $15,099 on eBay for the right to temporarily display the name of its Web site, GoldenPalace.com, on the chest of swimsuit model Shaune Bagwell. Earlier this year, it coughed up $4,050 on eBay to garner advertising space on a pregnant woman's stomach. And the company spent $28,000 on an eBay auction last year for a 10-year-old grilled-cheese sandwich that appeared to bear an image of the Virgin Mary."
"Online casinos want to be connected with sports to stay close to what they see as their target demographic. Sportsbook.com's typical customer is a man in his early 30s with an annual income of more than $70,000, Mr. Czajkowski said. He has tried to reach such people by putting up posters in bars during events such as the NFL playoffs, running billboard ads during the men's college basketball tournament, and running ads in the in-flight magazines for Continental Airlines Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, the commuter carrier for AMR Corp.'s American Airlines. His company also sponsors prizefights on cable TV's Home Box Office, and he has tried to woo fans of minor sports such as rodeo, where Sportsbook.com sponsors top bull rider Dustin Elliott. Mr. Czajkowski said his annual marketing budget is more than $10 million."
"Sportsbook.com made a splash last year when it signed a promotional deal with Ms. Burke, the model who has appeared in Playboy and has hosted cable TV shows. "That was something new and got a lot of attention on the posting forums [for online gamblers]," said John Vega, founder and CEO of Dimebetting.com, a rival site. But Mr. Vega, who relies primarily on e-mail marketing, search-engine directories and word-of-mouth to promote his site, said he wonders whether many of the marketing tactics used lately by Internet casino companies mostly amount to "hype" and have little impact on revenue."
"However, because of the restrictions on mainstream advertising, Mr. Czajkowski said, it's hard to turn any one campaign into a smash hit. Instead, he tries to have his brand show up in so many places that it leaves an indelible mark on bettors' minds. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, he said, sign-ups by users of Sportsbook.com doubled from a year earlier, and he credited his wide variety of strategies. "If you ask anyone - what works," he said, "the answer is that we do 100 little things. That's our mantra."
Read entire article - "Online Gambling Sites Get Creative To Beat Advertising Restrictions," by DAVID KESMODEL. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE. February 24, 2005 http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB110850472711755662-Oj3pMh24ucihrvGv0V4xkwgPIHo_20050326.html
==
Magazines:
Online poker rooms and casinos find magazines a good source of advertising, as evidenced by the display of advertisers in CardPlayer magazine (see ads for PartyPoker.com, FullTiltPoker.com, PokerStars.com, UltimateBet.com, Bodog.com): http://www.cardplayer.com/mediakit/advertisers.php?page=ad
=
Advertising rates for online poker rooms and casinos can be found in CardPlayer Magazine: http://www.cardplayer.com/mediakit/onlineprintrates.php?page=pr
"Online Gaming Advertisers - For example: online poker rooms, online casinos, and miscellaneous companies who do most of their business online (we do not accept online sportsbook ads).
Gross Net
Per Insertion - $9,800* $8,500*
(Also see rates for Back Cover, Inside Back Cover and Permanent page insertion)
==
From "PEOPLE v. WORLD INTERACTIVE GAMING CORP."
http://www.oag.state.ny.us/internet/litigation/wigc.html
"WIGC is a Delaware corporation that maintains corporate offices in New York. WIGC wholly owns GCC, an Antiguan subsidiary corporation which acquired a license from the government of Antigua to operate a land-based casino. Through contracts executed by WIGC, GCC developed interactive software, and purchased computer servers which were installed in Antigua to allow users around the world to gamble from their home computers.
"GCC promoted its casino at its
* website,
* advertised on the Internet,
* and in a national gambling magazine.
The promotion was targeted nationally and was viewed by New York residents.
==
From "Nevada Bets On Legalized Internet Gambling." Gambling Magazine
http://www.gamblingmagazine.com/articles/23/23-469.htm
"In New Jersey, where a similar bid to legalize cyber-betting failed, state prosecutors sued three offshore companies that run online casinos, claiming the companies violate state laws by taking bets.
The state filed the lawsuit last month, saying the companies advertised in New Jersey,
** in part by placing billboards along the Atlantic City Expressway, which leads to the state's casinos." **
==
From "HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO BET THAT THE INTERNET GAMBLING PROHIBITION ACT OF 1997 IS NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO TACKLE THE PROBLEMS OF ONLINE GAMBLING?," by Andrea M. Lessani. The UCLA Online Institute for Cyberspace Law and Policy. May 1998. http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/alessani.html
One online casino advertised by toll free numbers on their website and mail solicitations:
"1) Minnesota residents accessed and received transmissions from the appellants' Web site; (2) Minnesota residents called the toll-free number advertised on the Web site; and (3) at least one Minnesota resident was placed on the appellants' mailing list
=====================================
DEMOGRAPHICS- MARKET SEGMENTATION
====================================
"A recent study conducted by researchers at Eastern Michigan University offers valuable information on the characteristics of the internet gambler. Though the sample consisted entirely of casino patrons, the researchers wanted to find out how internet gamblers differed from those who only gambled on land based casinos in terms of demographics and behavioral characteristics, as well as what predicted willingness to try internet gambling."
The key results of the study were:
* Education level seems to predict internet gambling - 52% of internet gamblers had a bachelors degree or higher while among those who did not, 23% had a Bachelors degree or higher. 27% of internet gamblers had a high school diploma or less while among casino-only gamblers that group represented 57%.
* Marital status may be a reliable predictor of internet gambling - 75% of those who did not and would not try internet gambling were married while only 56% of internet gamblers were married.
* Internet gamblers spent the most time online and have the most access to the internet - Of online gamblers, 92% had internet access at home and 59% at work. Of those who would not consider online gambling 73% were online at home and 42% at work.
* Internet gamblers were more comfortable with and trusting of internet security and services. - Over 95% of internet gamblers had made purchases online compared to 59% of those who had never gambled online. 86% of those who would consider online gambling had made a purchase over the internet. A significant difference in comfort level was detected between internet gamblers and non-internet gamblers when asked when asked whether or not they were comfortable doing their banking on the internet.
* Those who would not consider internet gambling agreed most strongly with statements such as "I do not: Take chances
Spend money on unusual items
Like new different styles
* Several important conclusions can be drawn about internet gamblers based on the study. - 37% of casino goers gamble online as compared to 5% of the general population. Internet gamblers spend less time in land based casinos than non-internet gamblers. If a person starts to gamble online he or she is likely to continue and likely to visit a land based casino less frequently.
From "Internet Gamblers: Who, Why, and How Often? (Profile of the Internet Gamblers: Betting on the Future Woodruff, C., Gregory, S. (2005). Profile of Internet Gamblers: Betting on the Future. UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal, (9)1, 1-14.) http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/pattc/Gambling/Gambling-research.htm
* (Read further for Differences within Gender Groups)
==
Poker Demographics compiled by Card Player.com:
Gender:
Male: 96%
Female: 4%
Age:
Under 21: 2%
21-40: 52%
Over 40: 46%
Poker Skill Level (as rated by the reader)
Advanced: 21%
Intermediate: 61%
Beginning: 18%
How Often Travel Over 100 Miles to Play Poker:
3 times or more annually: 36%
1-2 times annually: 38%
Never: 26%
How Often Play for Money at a Public Poker Room:
4 or more days per week: 8%
1-3 days per week: 18%
Less than weekly: 74%
How Often Play for Money at an Online Poker Room:
4 or more days per week: 8%
1-3 days per week: 10%
Less than weekly: 82%
Broadband vs. Dial-Up Access to CardPlayer.com
Dial-Up: 25%
Broadband: 75%
(ISDN, DSL, Cable, T1)
Source: September 2003 Card Player Reader Survey
http://www.cardplayer.com/mediakit/demographics.php?page=de
==
"Most studies suggest that the demographics of online gambling are broadly similar to those of the offline gambling population, with a spread of income, gender and education. Nielsen-Netratings claims that 5.9 million Europeans visited online gambling sites in January 2003, up from 2.8 million in the preceding January."
From Caslon Analytics profile: web demographics.
http://www.caslon.com.au/demographicsprofile10.htm
==
"Online poker is minting a whole breed of young, aggressive players who are taking the sport by storm in part because they can gain experience quickly. Poker online moves fast, with time restrictions for considering bets. With no waiting for a human to shuffle and deal, people often play more than 30 hands in an hour. Some play at multiple tables, using extra-large or dual computer monitors.......And those players can get a chance to do what is impossible in almost any other sport: Start from nowhere and be able to challenge the best in the game. "How many people wouldn't love to go one-on-one with Michael Jordan?" said Daniel Negreanu, 30, a top professional who moved from Toronto to Las Vegas in his early 20s to pursue a poker career. "Poker offers people of all sizes and ages the chance to be a superstar."
See "Poker's Popularity Proves a Hot Hand for Gaming Industry," by Jonathan Krim. Washington Post. September 6, 2004 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64457-2004Sep5.html
==
"Spurred by the growing coverage on TV, teens are putting down their video- game controllers and picking up the cards. Thousands of players, from college kids to grandmothers, are joining the action on the Internet. According to PokerPulse, $100 million is wagered each night in online poker. Some of the larger sites can attract up to 40,000 or 50,000 players a night.
Read "Poker That Needs No Poker Face." BusinessWeekOnline. August 16, 2004
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_33/b3896121_mz070.htm
==
Women and Online Poker:
"According to the folks at Sportsinteraction.com, women now outnumber men at Internet casinos; they cite industry studies that show "many women prefer to double down while sitting at home in front of a PC." Since the first online casino was launched in 1995, Internet gambling has grown exponentially, with estimated revenue of more than $6 billion a year and nearly 2,000 Web sites offering everything from sports betting, lotteries and blackjack to bingo. According to one industry study, 53 percent of those who gamble online rather than in casinos in the United States were women, and the numbers - like those of women gamblers generally are growing."
"Online poker and other games of skill have become alternatives for women because they don?t "have the same macho element, the same level of competitiveness and people butting heads as they do in a casino," added Anthony Munnelly, vice president of sports and events for Sportsinteraction.com. "Because it is so private, you can hide your losses even more easily than a trip to the casino or bingo hall, and people can be in extremely deep trouble before the family has any clue as to what is happening," she said."
"For women, in particular, the risks are great, she said, noting studies that show men and women gamble for different reasons. "Action gamblers" tend to be men, in search of a "high" by playing games of skill like poker, blackjack or sports betting. Women, on the other hand, tend to be "escape" gamblers, attracted to games of chance like slot machines, video poker, lotteries or bingo, using gambling as a way to escape depression or physical or emotional pain. "This is a very lonely person?s activity," said Berlin of Internet gambling, "and maybe this is why many women are being lured into it."
From "Women drawn to online poker," By Mackenzie Carpenter. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 28, 2005 http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/living/12242080.htm
==
"Online gambling firms are looking to expand their internet poker provisions into Europe, feeling that the region has the highest growth potential, according to a survey of industry stakeholders by online poker portal Pure-Poker.com. The survey, of internet gambling industry members revealed that 51.1 per cent rated Europe (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia) ahead of North America (41.8 per cent) and other worldwide regions. The results suggest that the poker industry is expanding eastward away from the traditional US markets, looking to Europe for faster rates of growth in relatively untouched and wealthy markets. Other factors that make Europe an attractive growth prospect includes the high penetration of broadband, good levels of disposable income and the favourable legal status of online poker. Europe is attractive from a cultural perspective too: industry members said they consider Europeans to be card-game savvy - many of the traditional card games originated in Europe - and a large majority are comfortable with English language websites."
From "Online gaming firms see Europe as ripe for internet poker," by Leigh Phillips. DME. 09/03/2005. http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=6589
==
As reported by PC Pro: "The French have taken to online gambling like a duck a l'orange to water, according to Europe-wide figures from analysts Nielsen//NetRatings. "February's numbers showed that more than 22 per cent of those online spent over an hour betting. This was about three times the average UK online gambler spent having a flutter. The French can also boast of nearly twice as many sessions as their UK counterparts. "That's not to say the UK isn't committed. More than 14 per cent of online Brits gamble on the Internet - a rise of 45 per cent year on year. "...But one French reader has pointed out that there is another factor driving online gambling in France. 'In France, the only legal betting is through state controlled channels, which are PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain) for horse races, Lotto, National Lottery ... Casinos and gambing machines are only allowed in some towns that have a special status ... anything else is stricly illegal,' he says..."
From "British vs. French." April 21, 2005.
http://www.launchpoker.com/news/_british-vs-french_/
==
"Paul is a currency broker who plays poker to relax when he gets home after a hectic day at work in London. The 26-year-old logs on most nights of the week, sitting down at a virtual card table and battling opponents for up to four hours at a time. As a hobby it is not unusual and poker is one of the UK's fastest growing ways to gamble.
"So what is it that makes the pastime so attractive and why has the value of the global market more than tripled in size to close to $1.5bn ( 827m) over the past two years?"
Why we gamble
* A way of escaping from stress or problems
* Lure of the buzz, excitement, high adrenaline release
* The competitive element - trying to beat other players, the bookie, or the
dealer
* The thrill of risk taking, placing large bets
"One reason is that poker is seen as a game of skill rather than luck, where one player is pitted against another and as Paul puts it, "the cream always rises to the top". Another is the spread of the internet and our increasing confidence in the safety of online businesses. On top of that, gambling is becoming an increasingly hip and accessible means of entertainment - just look at the resurgence of Las Vegas in the US and plans to build massive casino complexes in the UK."
"According to research group Forrester, 76% of the UK's 29 million adult internet users admit to regularly placing a bet either online or offline."
"What makes the internet such a good medium for gambling is that the computer, or the front door into the casino if you prefer, is often sitting somewhere in our house."
"Previously, there was always a chance that your gambling urge would come at a time when there was nowhere open to place a bet. Now "it's a problem 24-7", said Adrian Scarfe, clinical practice manager at gambling addiction counselling and advice service Gamcare. "In the last three years we have seen a change," he explained from his office near London's financial centre. "Internet gambling has risen steadily and in my view it will continue to rise." According to Gamcare's latest report, of the 4,452 first time callers that provided details of their gambling experiences, 9% stated that the gambling was taking place on the internet."
"Interestingly, in a world where gambling addicts are predominately male, more and more women are signing up for online gaming services."
From "The growing allure of online poker." Source: BBC News Online, 02/06/2005
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/profilenews.cfm?pagecode=PEGIGALN&areacode=mh_gambling_news&id=8038
==
From a 2002 study:
"The new study revealed a surprising trend: Online gamblers tend to have lower education and income levels -- a demographic that bucks the trend of overall Internet users compared with the general population. The study said online gamblers also tend to be younger and unmarried. It found no significant gender differences."
Read "Study: Online Gamblers May Have Serious Problems," by Tim McDonald. NewsFactor Network. March 18, 2002 http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/16814.html
==
"Internet gamblers were also more likely to be unmarried and younger than those who never used the internet for gambling. They also tended to have lower education and income levels than non-Internet gamblers, which is surprising, according to the researchers, since access to the internet is traditionally associated with people that have higher income and education levels. No significant gender differences were found between internet and non-internet gamblers.
"The availability of internet gambling may draw individuals who seek out isolated and anonymous contexts for their gambling behaviors," say the authors. "Accessibility and use of internet gambling opportunities are likely to increase with the explosive growth of the internet."
5.2 The Social and Commercial Impact of Interactive Gambling Services:
"Because internet gambling is accessible via cyberspace rather than fixed sites if presents an even greater risk than gaming machines to minors. Mark Griffiths and Richard Wood examined the effect of video games and the Internet on adolescents. They argue that technologically advanced forms of gambling may be highly appealing to adolescents and therefore constitute a high risk factor. The authors also argue that:
* "Online gambling is essentially a solitary asocial activity. Problem gamblers are far more likely to gamble alone rather than as part of a social event."
* "Gambling with e-cash lowers the psychological value of money. People spend far more with non-cash equivalents in both gambling environments (eg. chips, tokens, smart cards) and non-gambling environments (eg. credit cards, store cards).
* "It is very difficult for Internet gambling operators cannot easily screen out vulnerable groups from play eg inebriated people, adolescents, people with criminal record, adolescents, people with mental illness."
* "Unlike other forms of gambling, Internet gambling operators know exactly how long a gambler is at their site, what he or she gambles on, the size of each individual bet, and what other sites the gambler has visited. Such detailed customer tracking allows the potential for unscrupulous operators deliberately to target the large spenders who may very well be the problem gamblers."
Excerpts from "Review of Interactive Gambling Act 2001." Submission to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. April 29, 2003. http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:SauwnjZnEeIJ:www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/10945/South_Australian_Heads_of_Churches_Gambling_Task_Force.doc+gender+of+online+gamblers&hl=en
==
"Gambling by mobile phone has rocketed, with the number of betting pages downloaded expected to approach 3 million this year; a rise of 367 per cent in 2004. The conclusion of research by Mintel has sparked concern that the almost unlimited access to gambling provided by mobile phones will fuel a rise in adiction. Another potential problem is children gambling by phone.
From "Gambling by mobile phones is booming" by Martin Hickman. The Independent. Sept 21, 2005. http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article314007.ece
==
An interesting insight:
"Online poker is a bit different. Teenagers generally can?t play poker for money legally, in either real or virtual cardrooms. But with the play money games available at virtually every online poker site, teenagers can get plenty of practice before they turn 21. And as is the case with video games, they tend to have a lot more disposable time than players just a few years older. Although I don?t know the demographics of the play money games on the popular online poker sites, I do know that those games are thriving, typically outnumbering the money games handily."
"Although many serious poker players trace their skills back to well before they could legally play in casinos, few if any could claim the sheer volume of practice one can now get routinely, both online and via computer-based tools. I?d personally played the equivalent of hundreds of hours of tournament no-limit hold?em online before I ever sat down at a casino table. I can?t claim to have terrorized the tables, but I?ve certainly done much better than I would have if I?d had to pay for my lessons in cash. And the practice I was able to get was fairly limited compared to what?s available today. There are certainly additional skills associated with live poker that may keep some of these players from excelling beyond the online arena. And likewise, there may be players who will be only mediocre at online poker who will benefit greatly from face-to-face competition. But on the whole, the ready availability of training at a variety of forms of poker raises the possibility of a dramatic change in the kinds of players in the average cardroom."
"Although online poker has obviously had some impact on live poker, my guess is that a big wave of online-trained players hitting the brick-and-mortar cardrooms is still a few years off. The popularity of online poker probably matured about two years ago, although it hasn?t peaked, and it takes time for all those players to filter into the cardroom. Most intriguingly, 16-year-olds who started spending endless nights learning to play poker at that time are still too young to play poker for money, either online or live. In all probability, there?s a growing generation of underage future poker players getting orders of magnitude more practice than any previous generation."
From "The Generation of Experienced Novices," by Daniel Kimberg. Card Player Magazine Volume 16, No. 23 http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/?a_id=13624&m_id=77
==
"The APA study found that 74% of people who gamble online are "problematic" or "pathological" gamblers. And, according to David Robertson, with the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, teens are most at risk to fall into the habit of gambling on the Internet." "Gambling is the fastest growing addiction among youth today," Robertson said. "They spend more money on gambling than they do on drugs, and the American public doesn?t know that or doesn?t recognize it or doesn?t want to see it." What makes Internet gambling even worse is the anonymity of it, said Dr. Bill Maier, a child and family sychologist in residence at Focus on the Family. "In the old days, a person had to go to Las Vegas to gamble and he could be seen there sitting at the slot machines for 36 hours and people are raising an eyebrow. Now, you can go into your office or your bedroom for 36 hours and blow your entire life savings on Internet gambling and no one knows."
From "Most online gamblers have serious addictions." Family News in Focus
http://www.afa.net/gambling/articles.asp
Additional:
"14m Europeans gambling online," by Leigh Phillips. DME Europe. 2005
http://www.dmeurope.com/default.asp?ArticleID=7383
=======================
LOYALTY/CONCERNS/BETS
=======================
"Nearly a third (31 percent) of online gamblers are not satisfied with Internet gambling sites. Only 15 percent of respondents feel online casinos are more fun than their offline counterparts. Furthermore, 89 percent are willing only to play for free, and a majority of those who do risk money spend less than $10 per visit."
"The most serious gripe is that some 60 percent of the 2,000 people surveyed believe online gambling sites are "fixed." Despite their discontent, the online gambling public visits multiple online gambling sites, with most people visiting two."
"The message of this research is that those behind online gambling sites must do more to win the confidence of people who visit their site," said Rudy Nadilo, president and CEO of Greenfield Online."
"Of those who opened accounts to play for money, most use a credit card or a debit card to fund their accounts. Nearly 70 percent, however, are concerned about the safety of using their credit or debit card at an online casino. While most respondents do not want government intervention, nearly three-quarters (72 percent) feel the convenience of online gambling will foster more gambling addictions."
From "Online Gamblers Are Not Satisfied, In Spades."
http://www.gamblingmagazine.com/articles/23/23-259.htm
==
The following information concerning bet size does not focus solely on poker:
"Betting on games is the lead line in gambling in North America, although online casinos and poker are even more popular - which is not yet reflected in Sportingbet?s profile in the US and Canada. But the biggest gamblers of all are to be found in Australia: where the global average spend on gambling is one per cent of total consumer spending, it?s five-and-a-half per cent in Australia/New Zealand, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit. Sportingbet?s average bet size in Europe is 22; it?s $59 in America and a whapping 226 in Australia/Asia. I ventured that Asia must be an outstanding market opportunity, given the role of gambling in the culture."
From "The 1 billion bet - Mark Blandford gave Ruari McCallion the full SP about SPORTINGBET?S online revolution of the gambling industry." British Industry. June 2004 http://www.themanufacturer.com/britishindustry/content_page.html?article_id=146
==
Bet size on sports gambling sites:
"Carruthers says that most of those betting on his site are hardly wagering the monthly rent. The average NCAA tournament bet on his site is $60, compared to $50 during the regular season. Last year 1.6 million bets were placed on the tournament for a total of $96 million."
From "Don't bet against online gambling," by Chris Isidore, CNN/Money. March 25, 2004. http://money.cnn.com/2004/03/26/commentary/column_sportsbiz/sportsbiz/
==
Also see "Just 13% of online gambling site visitors have wagered for real." Internet Business News, Oct 17, 2001. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BNG/is_2001_Oct_17/ai_79199148
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With the prevelance of online poker and gambling sites, companies have to institute loyalty and affiliate programs to retain customers. The following articles touch on these schemes:
"Casino Customer Relationship Index." Pokerroom.com Forum. September 20, 2005
http://www.pokerroom.com/pokah/forum/messageBody.php?threadNumber=79382
Rakeback Sites
http://www.bettingmarket.com/rakeback.htm
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Excerpt from "Review of Interactive Gambling Act 2001." Submission to the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. April 2003. http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:SauwnjZnEeIJ:www.dcita.gov.au/__data/assets/word_doc/10945/South_Australian_Heads_of_Churches_Gambling_Task_Force.doc+gender+of+online+gamblers&hl=en
"One area in which the availability of gambling services has increased is online. The fact that the presence of casinos is not limited to terra firma but instead increasingly take the form of online venues further complicates this problem. According to Informa Media group, online gambling revenues will increase 400% by 2006 ($15.5 billion) up from $3.81 in 2002 (eMarketer, 2002). Datamonitor (2001) likewise forecasts that U.S. and European revenues from online gambling will increase from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $20.8 billion by 2005. This increase in cyberspace-based gambling opportunities leads one academic to opine:
"In many countries there appears to be a slow shift from gambling being taken out of gambling environments and into the home and the workplace (and in the case of Internet gambling it has gone from being site specific to being in cyberspace" (Griffiths, 2002, pp. 148-149).
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The following paper has some interesting insights you might find useful for your research;
"Motivations to Regulate Online Gambling and Violent Game Sites: An Account of the Third-Person Effect," by Fang Wan, University of Manitoba and Seounmi Youn, Emerson College. Journal of Interactive Advertising. Fall 2004 http://www.jiad.org/vol5/no1/wan/#gender
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"Which online poker sites are safe bets?," by Jennifer Mulrean. CNN Money
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/SavingandDebt/P112493.asp
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I hope the information I have provided is helpful and provides a good start for your research.
Sincerely,
umiat
Search Strategy
online poker demographics
demographics of online gamblers
characteristics of online gamblers
gender of online gamblers
average bet of online gamblers
studies of online gamblers
average bet of an online gambler
how is internet gambling advertised
advertising for online gambling
online poker sites create loyal customer
competition for customers in online poker
customers stay with same online gambling site
Before I get much further, in light of my colleagues reference to the market research reports on gamblin - I am wondering if you want me to continue researching an answer to this question. umiat
might find it useful in your research.
It has endnotes and statistics that summarize the online gamming
industry (i.e. poker rooms) and forecasts for one, three and five
years from iGamingNews.com
http://venturesolutionsllc.com/pdf/Online_Gambling_Executive_Summary.pdf